The Children’s Movement of Florida is a statewide organization pushing for positive change in Tallahassee. Our headquarters is in Miami, and we have Advisory Boards and supportive presence across the state. Our goal is to connect local voices to one another, amplify their call for greater state support, and bridge the local concerns to a statewide conversation.
Chair Cindy Arenberg Seltzer serves as the first president/CEO of the Children’s Services Council of Broward County. In that role, she has carefully guided the development of the organization, which was created by the voters of Broward County in September 2000, and reauthorized by the voters in 2014.
Co-chair Josie Bacallao is President & CEO of Hispanic Unity of Florida (HUF). Prior to HUF, Josie was Vice President/Marketing Director for the Sun-Sentinel Company and worked for The Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald as their VP/Marketing for more than 25 years.
The Collier Board of Advisors held their inaugural meeting on May 23. The Movement participates in Future Ready Collier, an organization doing great work to spread the message locally.
Chair Terissa Aronson is the president and CEO of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce. Through her extensive work and connections with the local business community, Terissa brings a business approach to The Children’s Movement’s advocacy activities in the region.
Chair Glenton Gilzean Jr. is the president and CEO of the Urban League of Central Florida. He has served on the Pinellas County School Board and is a trustee for Florida A&M University. He believes that education is primary to the success of all children.
Chair Sky Beard serves as the executive director of the Early Learning Coalition of Brevard. Sky brings years of experience working in the early learning sector to the board and provides invaluable expertise to its members.
The inaugural meeting of the Greater Tampa Board of Advisors occurred on May 31st and was well attended. The Board plans on tackling issues in the Tampa Bay area and building a strong local coalition for Tampa Bay’s children.
Chair Dug Jones is the Associate Vice President for economic development at Santa Fe College, where he oversees the Center for Innovation & Economic Development (CIED), which includes Continuing Education & Corporate Training, Community Education, and the Entrepreneur Incubator.
You can make a difference! Throughout the state, we have outreach coordinators working with Floridians like you to spread the message of the importance of the early years and to make real impacts in local communities. If you want to get involved today, check out the opportunities we have below.
Check out the advocacy opportunities you can participate in to make a difference right now!
From Early Learning Nation: “The Children’s Movement of Florida has pulled together more than 100 Florida mayors and got them all to sign a letter to FL Governor Ron DeSantis with a clear message: Prioritize early childhood learning.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The Palm Beach Post: “Beyond what is right, prioritizing Florida’s children’s early lives is also the most practical, effective and efficient solution to numerous challenges faced by our state.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.
From The New Tropic: “The early years are a valuable and significant time because these connections form the brain’s foundation. It is easier and more effective to get things right the first time than return later to strengthen or shore up preventable damage to a child’s developmental process.” Read the full article here. View more articles here.